Noisy Lawn Tractor Idler Pulley Replacement 

Have a Craftsman rider with the same condition. Will check the drive pulleys, and replace the noisy culprit. Thanks for the inside info. I did suspect that might be the issue, though. Jim from Southeast Texas

Im going to check this out. Mine started doing this too recently.

James, you're videos are so helpful. I appreciate your knowledge and expertise plus the quality of your communication skills. Thank you!

Thankyou so much for this video. I am a woman fixing my own things. I Watch several videos and could not figure it out your video was perfect thank you again.

My ten year old Poulan pro 500ex started doing this about a week ago. I fortunately still have all the manuals for it so I just looked up the part #'s and got all 3 of those pulleys because I figure if one has gone bad the other two probably aren't far behind and since I'll have the deck off anyhow, why not just change all three. Update: It's ten times harder to do this on a Poulan Pro 500EX 46" cut. You cannot get to the top of that carriage nut to hold it down with your fingers unless you 1) Remove the steering wheel 2) Remove the upper dash 3) Remove the gas tank and 4) Remove the lower dash. I still haven't gotten the lower dash off as I can't get enough torque in my arms to turn the bolts. Guess I'll get out my Impact wrench and see if I can find enough extensions to reach down that far. God knows what else I'll have to take off afterwards. After it's fixed I'll be shopping for a new mower and sell this cantankerous thing. Update #2) It's changed but my God what a pain in the wazoo, lol.

Great fix, sounds.much better. My Husqvarna lgt2554 is making a rattling sound when I engage the blades. It just started doing it, and it's only when I engage the blades. I'm thinking maybe a pulley, or bearing, in which ever pulley is under load when the blades are engaged. Thanks

I'm having the same sound (much louder on mine) with my YTH20K46 I noticed it mid mow yesterday. I'm going to climb under it today and see if it's the same pulley.

Same thing happened to my craftsman GT6000 last year at same time as yours. it was front idler pulley(flat one) for drive belt. i replaced both the pulleys and the belt.

Thank you so much , Now I know how to fix mine it has the same problem !

I had a bear of a time lining up the pulley in the eyelet without the top part attatched to the tensioner arm popping back out while I was pushing the washer and new pulley on. The bolt kept getting yanked to one side too where the square head would pop out of it seat. No room up top to grab it. Ended up disconnecting the tensioner spring to get it done. James yours didnt move at all😵

I can tell those getting ready to do this that these "locking pins" you have to remove to remove the deck are a pita..There could be a video on just those

My mower has been in my shed for the last five years... I said no more push mowing and decided to fix mine, first was a fuse, then a gas line and this pully and a bent blade.... cant believe i push mowed for 5 years instead of fixing my tractor.... Great vid though man

Thanks. Same here! But bigger question is my mowers got 10 hours on it and I’ve had to do several repairs already. I thought HQ was supposed to be excellent quality. My 10 yo MTD had less to deal w.

If your going to spin the pulleys to listen for noise, you need to remove the belt from each pulley than spin.

Helped me tremendously! Wow!! Thank no so much. 😁 😁

A lot of Husqvarna belts are too loose. Get another one, that one's fine. They vary a little in length. My mower was raising hell on hills cutting to the right. I greased the spindles. Made no difference. Belt dressing helps about every other cut. I changed it out. Belts can vary in length, even though they're factory parts. 🐀🐾

Thanks. Pretty sure this is my problem also.

Thank you very much!

When I took the same pulley off the bushing came out were bolt goes through ,had to take string off ,is that normal?

I'm trying to get that same pulley off my husqvarna yth18542 but the whole thing unscrews but not all the way out. How can I get the nut off with out cutting the bolt.

Meant to say thank you

Good job on the video.

Just replaced the belts, battery and solenoid on my Huskee. Pretty sure I routed the rear belt which is the drive belt correctly and now it makes a VERY LOUD screeching noise only when in gear. Looks like the idler pulley is against the drive pulley with metal shavings below it now. Dunno how to get space again between those 2 pulleys.

Yep, very helpful.

hi jim. can you tell me what the torque is on the pully

Rank you

I have a issue with my tension bar keeps snapping my spring

Good trouble shooting man, my Deere is doing that same thing

I have a problem regarding that pulley, the nut and bolt both turn. I cant remove the pulley to replace it.

Great information! noticed a torque wrench, what torque did you use for that bolt?..Thanks fer a great video man, Many Blessings

Nice job! However, it didn’t sound any different with new pulley!

I did this but when I removed the pulley I heard a spring come loose and now the clutch/brake pedal is hard and the mower won’t move any ideas?

I did not hear any noise?

is this the same on a craftsman?

I don't know why you didn't replace all three you know they're all worn equally you know they're all going bad you should clean underneath there too as well

Loo